Zero To Travel Podcast

There is no denying that places like Alcatraz and Auschwitz are rooted in dark history, but Disney World? A dark destination?! Today, I’m joined by Dr. James Treadwell to unravel the intricacies of dark tourism. Dr. Treadwell is a Professor of Criminology at Staffordshire University. He is also the co-author of 50 Dark Destinations: Crime and Contemporary Tourism, which highlights travel destinations across six continents and explores the past and contemporary issues that we often disregard during our everyday leisure.In this episode, we talk about the sensationalization of true crime, why we’re so attracted to places marked by violence, and what actually makes a destination “dark.” You’ll learn how we may all be some form of deviant tourist (whether we realize it or not) and ways to be more mindful when visiting these locations.Have you visited a dark destination? What was your experience? Let me know by sending me an audio message.Premium Passport:Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1.Tune In To Learn: The study of criminology and how Dr. Treadwell found himself working in this field Why society is fascinated with true crime and dark history How his book explores and reimagines the meaning of dark tourism How we are unknowingly participating in dark tourism (Watching the World Cup?!) The fine line between historical preservation and visiting for education vs. leisure and consumerism How we can be more cognisant when traveling to problematic places His thoughts on the death penalty and how society can minimize crime and violence And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsor - US Bank Go Grab your copy of 50 Dark Destinations: Crime and Contemporary Tourism Want More? Adventures In Urban Exploration w/ Greg Abandoned Factfulness: Why The World Is Better Than You Think Ethical Travel, Life In Mozambique and Ocean Love w/ Francesca Trotman Thanks To Our SponsorsThis episode is sponsored by US Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card. Get 4X the points on eating out and 2X the points on groceries, entertainment services, and gas or EV charge stations. Apply today at usbank.com/altitudego to get 20,000 points by spending $1,000 in your first 90 days. 

In 2013, Jasmine Reese took her puppy and a violin on a bicycle tour across the United States with less than $50 in her pocket.She was, in her words, a “chubby city girl, trying to regain self-confidence and recapture the person she thought she’d lost.” In this episode, you'll hear about the profound acts of kindness that renewed Jasmine's faith in humanity, how she reshaped both her body and mind, and gain insight into how your attitude defines your actions.This is one of my top picks from the Zero To Travel archive and was originally published in 2017.Would you go on an adventure like Jasmine? What did you take away from this episode? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.Premium Passport:Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1.Tune In To Learn: How to use your internal power Ways to get out of your rut How to start planning a bicycle tour across the USA Where to stay when traveling by bike with your pet What Jasmine eats while on the road Why the journey is more important than the destination Practical tips for saving (and creating) money The pros and cons of riding 12 hours a day The smart way to hitchhike And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsor - US Bank Learn more about Jasmine's travels and music at Fijapaw Other mentions: DoggyRide, Springer America, Warm Showers, ICE Recumbent Trikes, Pet Travel Want More? Bike-Packing Scotland and Breaking Free of Cultural Expectations with C.D. Seventeen Lessons From Caring for the Dying and Bike Packing 18 Countries With Jerry Kopack 900 Miles Biking (With No Clothes, Money or Bike!) Thanks To Our Sponsors This episode is also sponsored by US Bank's Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card, with the ability to earn up to 5x the points on travel-related expenses like hotels, and rental cars, this card will get you the most return on your next trip.  Upgrade your sleep at home and on the road! Get 10% off your pair of Loop Earplugs by visiting www.loopearplugs.com/zerototravel.

Today, I’m joined by Aaron Millar, host of the Armchair Explorer podcast, to share the top lessons he’s gathered through his conversations with some of the world’s greatest adventurers. In this episode, Aaron shares his favorite stories from travelers who have trekked through Africa in search of their next “thing,” traveled along the Oregon Trail to escape predictability, ran towards their fears in the Brazillian Amazon, and rowed across the Atlantic while battling Cushing’s disease, among many others. These remarkable stories hold valuable lessons about breaking out of the mold, pushing past our fears, and daring to be alive.Which story was most inspiring to you? How will you take these lessons and integrate them into your own life? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.Premium Passport:Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1.Tune In To Learn: A lesson on courage and why it’s so important to actively choose your own path in life Why your adventurous life and “normal” life can coexist How following your passions allows you to better serve others Why facing your fears and embracing uncertainty is the real catalyst for change How culture shock can change the world What being put into extreme situations teaches you about letting go And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsors - US Bank, Loop Earplugs Hear more stories on the Armchair Explorer podcast  Want More? The World Walk (Trilogy): Lessons From A 7 Year Walk Around The World w/ Tom Turcich Adventure and Conservation: A 6000 km Tuk Tuk Journey Through Africa “Universe, I Trust You” – An Experiment on Letting Go with Roberta Mussato Thanks To Our Sponsors This episode is also sponsored by US Bank's Altitude Connect Visa Signature Card, with the ability to earn up to 5x the points on travel-related expenses like hotels, and rental cars, this card will get you the most return on your next trip.  Upgrade your sleep at home and on the road! Get 10% off your pair of Loop Earplugs by visiting www.loopearplugs.com/zerototravel.

We're pulling one of my top picks from the archive for a second episode this week!What an incredible show today as I sit down (in person) and chat with legendary explorer and adventurer Erling Kagge.Erling is a man of many firsts. In 1990, Erling was the first to reach the North Pole without support as part of a two-person team, and in 1992-93, he was the first to do a solo unsupported expedition to the South Pole. He spent 50 days walking alone across Antarctica without any contact with anyone. He also climbed Mt. Everest in 1994, which made him the first to complete the 3 Poles Challenge on foot. Then, in 2010, he completed a 5-day walk through the sewers of NY to the Atlantic Ocean, and in 2012, he walked the entire length of LA's Sunset Boulevard!We talk about his book Silence: In the Age of Noise, why silence is such an essential part of our lives as humans, walking, travel (of course!), and much more.Premium Passport:Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1.Tune In To Learn: A huge misunderstanding about today The new attitude for Erling Kagge The one secret to having a good life The best things about walking What you can hear in silence Things to make your life more difficult How to transition from adventuring to publishing One of the most underestimated feelings you can have The best parts of the writing process How to know when to move on His advice if you're thinking about traveling or exploring And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsors - LifeStraw, Loop Earplugs 4'33" by John Cage Albert Schweitzer: A Biography Papillon Zero To Travel Want More? Inspiring Female Adventurers Series: Around America And Beyond with Renata Chlumska 3 years Alone On Foot: An Interview With Sarah Marquis The World Walk (4 Years In) With Tom Turcich Thanks To Our Sponsors This episode is sponsored by LifeStraw Go water bottles. Use the promo code TRAVEL to get 20% off your LifeStraw Go purchase when you visit www.lifestraw.com. Upgrade your sleep at home and on the road! Get 10% off your pair of Loop Earplugs by visiting www.loopearplugs.com/zerototravel.

Do you want to quit your job, embark on an epic adventure, and build an online business?After leaving his successful career as the trainer for the New Zealand Olympic swimming team, Antonio Cala went on to cycle 25,000 kilometers from California to Patagonia, live on a sailboat for three years, and ride a motorcycle 30,000 kilometers from Spain to Cape Town. Along the way, he founded Adventure Fix, the ultimate online adventure magazine packed with the top travel expeditions, wildlife encounters, and remote places from around the world. In this episode, Antonio and I unpack the lessons he’s learned from training Olympians, traveling to over 150 countries, and building a seven-figure business while on the road. You’ll hear about the moment when he had to decide between his dream job and a life of travel, how his values influence his choices, why cycling may be the best way to experience a country’s culture and people, and how hitching a ride on a sailboat led them to a new life path.You’ll also learn how he took $500 and scaled his online business to seven figures without any business experience, why it may not be a good idea to tie your business to your personal life, how we underestimate the power of our minds, and a critical mindset shift you need to be successful.There’s a common theme and key piece of advice to take away from this episode – how will you apply it to your own life and travels? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.Premium Passport:Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1.Tune In To Learn: How Antonio became an Olympic swimming trainer before the age of 30 and what he learned from working with world-class Olympians Antonio’s transition to travel and how a one-year plan transformed into a three-year cycling adventure How they financially supported their travels and maintained a budget of $10 a day Their daily life on the road and why cycling is one of the best ways to slow travel How starting a business while traveling affected their experience and why they decided to quit blogging  How a spontaneous idea led to living on a sailboat The daily expenses of life on a sailboat and why talking about money is important Their experience motorcycling through West Africa and why they chose that mode of transportation And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsors - LifeStraw, Loop Earplugs Sign up for Adventure Fix’s weekly email Check out Adventure Fix on Instagram Book recs: Rich Dad Poor Dad, The Psychology of Money Want More? Solo Adventure Cycling Around The World: Epic Bike Rides With Shirine Taylor How To Go Sailing Around The World Lessons from Quitting a Job and Selling Everything to Motorcycle Around the World with Mike Barr Thanks To Our Sponsors This episode is sponsored by LifeStraw Go water bottles. Use the promo code TRAVEL to get 20% off your LifeStraw Go purchase when you visit www.lifestraw.com. Upgrade your sleep at home and on the road! Get 10% off your pair of Loop Earplugs by visiting www.loopearplugs.com/zerototravel.

How would your travels be different if you set aside expectations and surrendered to the journey?After realizing that much of Roberta’s pain came from unmet expectations, she decided to experiment with a new life approach that involved planning nothing and letting go of any attachment to how things turned out.In this episode, author and coach Roberta Mussato and I unpack the lessons she learned when she decided to trust the universe during her three-month adventure through Sri Lanka, South India, and Nepal. You’ll learn why she adapted this new life philosophy, how the mindset of a traveler lays the entire foundation for a trip, why you need to live in trust, and how we can find the balance between our philosophies and the necessities of the real world. You’ll also gain insight into solo travel in Asia, the process she took to write her book, and much more!What new life philosophy or mentality can you experiment with on your travels? I'd love to hear your thoughts and hope you’ll share them by sending me an audio message.Premium Passport:Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1.Tune In To Learn: Why the Italian lifestyle wasn’t for Roberta and what brought her to London How a silent meditation retreat led her to a new life path and advice for finding your next “thing”  The importance of inner work and why we can’t make choices based on fear How to marry a new life philosophy with the practicalities of the real world  Why she decided to write her book and the process behind it Roberta’s insights on safety, boredom, loneliness, and costs while traveling solo in Asia  Her favorite places to travel and the top things you need to do in London Why vulnerability is a superpower And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsors - LifeStraw, Loop Earplugs Visit Roberta’s website  Grab a copy of her book Universe, I Trust You Want More? Using Intuition to Make Tough Decisions, Learning to Surrender, Discovering Purpose, and Living Your Best Life with Amrit Sandhu from Inspired Evolution Living in Alignment, Capturing Magic, and Being a Citizen of the World with Ernest White II The Spiritual Journey + Travel and Creativity with Karan Bajaj Thanks To Our SponsorsThis episode is sponsored by LifeStraw Go water bottles. Use the promo code TRAVEL to get 20% off your LifeStraw Go purchase when you visit www.lifestraw.com.Upgrade your sleep at home and on the road! Get 10% off your pair of Loop Earplugs by visiting www.loopearplugs.com/zerototravel.

Does travel really make you happier? Today, I’m joined by Dr. Andrew Stevenson to unravel the mysteries of travel from an academic and psychological perspective.Dr. Stevenson is a cultural psychologist and senior lecturer in psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester, England. In his recent book, The Psychology of Travel, Dr. Stevenson offers key insights into the psychological factors behind different kinds of travel and introduces the reader to new ways of thinking about global mobility and movement.In this episode, Dr. Stevenson shares insight into the reciprocal relationship between people and their environments, advice on managing travel fears and anxieties, and how to use travel as a tool for self-development. We explore the dilemmas of cultural integration, how travel changes our perception of time, the psychological factors behind different travel styles, and much more.How has travel improved your life? I'd love to hear about your experience and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.Premium Passport:Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1.Tune In To Learn: The link between how we live and the environment around us and why we need to step outside of the travel bubble Why every traveler should have an understanding of the psychology of travel  The fine line between planning and researching and allowing that research to influence your expectations and judgments How we can manage our travel fears and anxieties and why worry can be a good thing  Why travel makes us happier and how to approach travel as a transformative tool The push and pull of maintaining your cultural identity vs. integrating into a culture Flow state and the relationship between time perception and travel The connection between travel and memory How eco-anxiety can help us become better travelers And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsors - LifeStraw, Loop Earplugs Grab your copy of The Psychology of Travel Check out the book The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles Want More? Finding Meaning Through Travel w/ Dr. Christopher Daniels Luck Is No Accident: Making The Most Of Happenstance with Dr. John Krumboltz How To Crush Your Pre-Trip Anxiety Thanks To Our Sponsors This episode is sponsored by LifeStraw Go water bottles. Use the promo code TRAVEL to get 20% off your LifeStraw Go purchase when you visit www.lifestraw.com. Upgrade your sleep at home and on the road! Get 10% off your pair of Loop Earplugs by visiting www.loopearplugs.com/zerototravel.

Saddle up and get ready for a wild ride because today, you're headed to the Buffalo Roundup in South Dakota!This episode is from The Travel South Dakota Stories, an immersive first-person podcast that takes you on a journey through the Land of Infinite Variety. In this episode, award-winning travel writer and host Brian Thacker takes you to one of my favorite hidden gem destinations in America, where you'll get to experience one of the most unique events in the state.Feel the ground rumble and the dust fly as sixty cowboys and cowgirls saddle up to bring in a thundering herd of 1,300 buffalo at the 57th Annual Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup. Through this compelling audio experience, you'll be right there with Molly, one of the cowgirls, as she cracks her whip and corals the galloping buffalo. You'll discover the buffalo's role in American and Native American History, hear from a Lakota rider who explains what the buffalo means to them, and so much more.Resources:Listen to The Travel South Dakota Stories podcast

How can volunteering abroad enhance your travels?Today, I’m joined by Ricardo Lima, founder of Worldpackers, to talk about how you can get the most out of your work exchange experience.Worldpackers is an online platform that connects travelers looking to exchange their skills for accommodations with incredible hosts from around the world and has facilitated more than 140,000 exchanges in 140+ countries. In this episode, Riq shares why he left his successful career as an investment banker to travel the world and eventually found one of the largest work exchange platforms for travelers. You’ll gain insight into how these types of programs work on both the volunteer and hosting side, common concerns and misconceptions, and why volunteering abroad is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in a culture and experience deep transformations.We also talk about the state of the hostel industry, why he moved his company from a hostel to a van, and his best business advice for someone who wants to create something bigger than themselves.Have you volunteered abroad, or are you considering a work exchange program? I'd love to hear about your experience and hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.Premium Passport:Want access to the private Zero To Travel podcast feed, a monthly bonus episode (decided on by YOU), exclusive content, direct access to me to answer your questions, and more? Click here to try Premium Passport for only $1.Tune In To Learn: How the hostel industry has shifted since Covid and the pros/cons of hostel life Why Riq left his successful career as an investment banker to travel the world and the lessons he learned from 3.5 years of travel How you can travel for a purpose with Worldpackers and general advice for work exchange How to address the #1 concern for travelers looking for work exchange programs Why your mindset can make or break your experience Why volunteering abroad isn’t only for budget travelers How these programs create opportunities for cultural immersion and connection The biggest lessons he’s learned from building his company and scaling to have a bigger impact (for both solopreneurs and partnerships) Riq’s advice for investing, facing conflict head-on, and managing remote teams And so much more Resources: Join Zero To Travel Premium Passport Subscribe to our FREE newsletter Today's Sponsors - LifeStraw, Loop Earplugs Plan your next experience with Worldpackers (PLUS get $10 off with code ZEROTOTRAVEL) Check out Riq’s podcast, Abrindo Caminhos Want More? Travel Legends Series: The Story of WWOOF – An Interview With Founder Sue Coppard A Beginner’s Guide To Volunteering, A Free Global Volunteer Network And More DIY Volunteering Thanks To Our Sponsors This episode is sponsored by LifeStraw Go water bottles. Use the promo code TRAVEL to get 20% off your LifeStraw Go purchase when you visit www.lifestraw.com. Upgrade your sleep at home and on the road! Get 10% off your pair of Loop Earplugs by visiting www.loopearplugs.com/zerototravel.

C.D. Seventeen, a techno music artist, DJ, painter, and poet, shares her transformative solo bikepacking journey through the Scottish Highlands and Orkney Islands. She discusses overcoming social anxiety through DJing, the connection between DJing and her poetry, and the impact of her bikepacking trip on her healing process. The podcast also explores cultural influences, breaking free from societal expectations, and finding solitude during the journey.